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he added, Those who walk in His ways, showing both, that is, Those who fear and walk. For many who have an exact faith, but a corrupt life, have become more wretched than all. Therefore, so that the word might not seem to be refuted from this, he added: Those who walk in His ways. What are the ways of God, but a life according to virtue? For through this it is possible to ascend to heaven, and to take hold of the mother city, and to see God Himself, as it is possible for a human to see. They are called His ways, because through them it is possible to go to God. And he did not say, way, but ways, showing that they are many and various. For this reason He cut many of them, making the entrance easy for us by the abundance of ways. For some among men shine in virginity, others are distinguished in marriage, others are adorned by widowhood; and some have cast off all things, others half; and some through an upright life, others through repentance; for because of this He cut many ways, so that you might travel easily. Were you not able after baptism to keep your body pure? You are able to make yourself pure through repentance, you are able through money, through almsgiving. But you do not have money? But you are able to visit the sick, to go to the one who is bound, to give a cup of cold water, and to bring the stranger under your roof, to offer two small coins, like the widow, and to groan over those in pain. For this too is almsgiving. But are you desolate and completely poor, and weak in body, and not even able to walk? Bear all these things with thanksgiving, and you will reap a great reward. Since this was also the virtuous achievement of Lazarus. For he did not help anyone with money. For how could one who did not even have necessary food? He did not enter a prison. For how could one who was not even able to stand upright? He did not visit a sick person. For how could one who lay exposed to the tongues of dogs? But nevertheless, even without these things, he seized the prize of virtue by bearing all things nobly, by seeing the 55.368 cruel and inhuman man prospering and living in luxury, while he himself was in such evils, and not uttering any discordant word. And because of this, he who was in no better condition than a corpse, but was then cast idle at the gate of the rich man, received the bosom of Abraham, and was crowned with the patriarch who had achieved so much; and he was proclaimed, and he enjoyed his bosom, not by giving alms, not by extending a hand to the wronged, not by receiving strangers, not being able to show anything else of the sort, but only by giving thanks in all things, and bearing away the splendid crown of endurance. For thanksgiving and philosophy, and endurance exercised in such evils, is a great work; and this is a greater virtuous achievement than all. From which also Job was crowned, wherefore the devil also said: Skin for skin, and all that a man has he will give for his life; but stretch out your hand, and touch his flesh. For it is no small thing to restrain a soul in pain, so as to sin in nothing. This is equal to martyrdom, this is the summit of good things. 3. And you therefore, beloved, often seized by sickness, or fevers, or the pain of aches forcing you to say something blasphemous, if you restrain yourself, and give thanks, and glorify God, you will receive the same reward. For why do you blaspheme, tell me, and utter a bitter word? Does the pain become lighter for you? For indeed, even if it did become lighter, not even so ought one to dare, nor to sell the salvation of the soul, while devising comfort for your body; but now not only is your pain not lightened, but it also becomes more severe. For the devil, seeing that he has prevailed somewhat, and has led you into blasphemy, intensifies the furnace, kindles the pain,

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προσέθηκε τὸ, Οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ, δηλῶν ἀμφότερα, ὅτι Οἱ φοβούμενοι καὶ πορευόμενοι. Πολλοὶ γὰρ πίστιν ἔχοντες ἀκριβῆ, βίον δὲ διεφθαρμένον, ἀθλιώτεροι πάντων γεγόνασιν. Ἵνα οὖν μὴ δόξῃ ἐντεῦθεν ὁ λόγος ἐλέγχεσθαι, ἐπήγαγεν· Οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ. Τίνες δὲ αἱ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁδοὶ, ἀλλ' ἢ ἡ κατὰ ἀρετὴν πολιτεία; ∆ιὰ ταύτης γὰρ ἔστιν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνιέναι, καὶ τῆς μητροπόλεως ἐπιλαμβάνεσθαι, καὶ αὐτὸν ὁρᾷν τὸν Θεὸν, ὡς ἀνθρώπῳ δυνατὸν ὁρᾷν. Ὁδοὶ δὲ αὐτοῦ λέγονται, ἐπειδὴ δι' αὐτῶν ἔστιν ἀπελθεῖν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, ὁδὸς, ἀλλ' ὁδοὶ, δεικνὺς ὅτι πολλαὶ αὐταὶ καὶ διάφοροι. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο πολλὰς αὐτὰς ἔτεμε, τῇ ἀφθονίᾳ τῶν ὁδῶν εὔκολον ποιῶν ἡμῖν τὴν εἴσοδον. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐν παρθενίᾳ λάμπουσιν, οἱ δὲ ἐν γάμῳ διαπρέπουσιν, ἄλλοι χηρείᾳ κοσμοῦνται· καὶ οἱ μὲν τὰ πάντα ἀπεδύσαντο, οἱ δὲ τὰ ἡμίση· καὶ οἱ μὲν δι' ὀρθοῦ βίου, οἱ δὲ διὰ μετανοίας· διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο πολλὰς ἔτεμεν ὁδοὺς, ἵνα εὐκόλως ὁδεύῃς. Οὐκ ἴσχυσας μετὰ τὸ λουτρὸν καθαρὸν διαφυλάξαι σου τὸ σῶμα; ∆ύνασαι διὰ μετανοίας σαυτὸν ποιῆσαι καθαρὸν, δύνασαι διὰ χρημάτων, δι' ἐλεημοσύνης. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἔχεις χρήματα; Ἀλλ' ἐπισκέπτεσθαι δύνασαι τὸν ἀῤῥωστοῦντα, ἀπιέναι πρὸς τὸν δεδεμένον, ψυχροῦ ποτήριον διδόναι, καὶ ὁμωρόφιον ποιεῖν τὸν ξένον, δύο παρέχειν ὀβολοὺς, ὡς ἡ χήρα, καὶ στενάζειν ἐπὶ τοῖς ὀδυνωμένοις. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο ἐλεημοσύνη. Ἀλλ' ἔρημος εἶ καὶ πένης καθ' ὅλου, καὶ ἀσθενὴς τὸ σῶμα, καὶ οὐδὲ βαδίσαι δύνασαι; Φέρε πάντα εὐχαρίστως ταῦτα, καὶ μέγαν ἐκαρπώσω τὸν μισθόν. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦ Λαζάρου τοῦτο ἦν τὸ κατόρθωμα. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀπὸ χρημάτων ἐκεῖνος ἐπεκούρησέ τινι. Πῶς γὰρ ὁ μηδὲ τῆς ἀναγκαίας εὐπορῶν τροφῆς; Οὐκ εἰς δεσμωτήριον εἰσῆλθε. Πῶς γὰρ ὁ μηδὲ ὀρθοῦσθαι δυνάμενος; Οὐκ ἄῤῥωστον ἐπεσκέψατο. Πῶς γὰρ ὁ προκείμενος ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν κυνῶν; Ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ τούτων χωρὶς τὸ βραβεῖον τῆς ἀρετῆς ἥρπασε τῷ πάντα γενναίως ἐνεγκεῖν, τῷ τὸν 55.368 μὲν ὠμὸν καὶ ἀπάνθρωπον εὐδοκιμοῦντα καὶ ἐντρυφῶντα ὁρᾷν, ἑαυτὸν δὲ ἐν τοσούτοις κακοῖς, καὶ μηδὲν ἀπηχὲς ῥῆμα φθέγξασθαι. ∆ιὰ δὲ τοῦτο τοὺς κόλπους ἀπελάμβανε τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ὁ νεκροῦ οὐδὲν ἄμεινον διακείμενος, ἀλλ' ἀργὸς ἐν τῷ πυλῶνι τοῦ πλουσίου τότε ἐῤῥιμμένος, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ τοσαῦτα κατωρθωκότος πατριάρχου ἐστεφανοῦτο· καὶ ἀνηγορεύετο, καὶ τῶν κόλπων ἀπέλαυε τῶν ἐκείνου, οὐκ ἐλεημοσύνας ποιήσας, οὐκ ἀδικουμένῳ χεῖρα ὀρέξας, οὐ ξένους ὑποδεξάμενος, οὐκ ἄλλο τῶν τοιούτων οὐδὲν ἐπιδείξασθαι δυνηθεὶς, ἀλλ' ἐν πᾶσι μόνον εὐχαριστήσας, καὶ τὸν τῆς ὑπομονῆς λαμπρὸν ἀπενεγκὼν στέφανον. Μέγα γὰρ ἔργον εὐχαριστία καὶ φιλοσοφία, καὶ καρτερία ἐν τοσούτοις κακοῖς γυμναζομένη· καὶ πάντων μεῖζον κατόρθωμα τοῦτο. Ὅθεν καὶ ὁ Ἰὼβ ἐστεφανοῦτο, διὸ καὶ ὁ διάβολος ἔλεγε· ∆έρμα ὑπὲρ δέρματος, καὶ πάντα ὅσα ὑπάρχει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ δώσει ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ· ἀλλὰ ἀπόστειλον τὴν χεῖρά σου, καὶ ἅψαι τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ μικρὸν, ὀδυνωμένην χαλινῶσαι ψυχὴν, πρὸς τὸ μηδὲν ἁμαρτεῖν. Τοῦτο μαρτυρίου ἴσον, τοῦτο κολοφὼν τῶν ἀγαθῶν. γʹ. Καὶ σὺ τοίνυν, ἀγαπητὲ, πολλάκις ὑπὸ νόσου κατεχόμενος, ἢ πυρετῶν, ἢ ἀλγηδόνων τῆς ὀδύνης σε ἀναγκαζούσης εἰπεῖν τι βλάσφημον, ἐὰν κατάσχῃς σαυτὸν, καὶ εὐχαριστήσῃς, καὶ δοξολογήσῃς τὸν Θεὸν, τὸν αὐτὸν λήψῃ μισθόν. Τίνος γὰρ ἕνεκεν βλασφημεῖς, εἰπέ μοι, καὶ πικρὸν ῥῆμα ἐκφέρεις; Μὴ κουφότερόν σοι γίνεται τὸ ἄλγος; Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ εἰ καὶ κουφότερον ἐγίνετο, οὐδὲ οὕτως ἔδει τολμᾷν, οὐδὲ ψυχῆς σωτηρίαν ἀποδόσθαι, τῷ σώματί σου τὴν παραμυθίαν ἐπινοοῦντα· νῦν δὲ οὐ μόνον οὐ κουφίζεταί σου τὸ ἄλγος, ἀλλὰ καὶ χαλεπώτερον γίνεται. Ὁ γὰρ διάβολος ὁρῶν ὅτι ἴσχυσέ τι, καὶ εἰς βλασφημίαν σε ἐξήγαγεν, ἐπιτείνει τὴν κάμινον, ἀνάπτει τὴν ὀδύνην,